Paper review: contaminación de metales pesados en el Ecuador, un análisis químico, ambiental, toxicológico, normativo y analítico

Abstract

Heavy metals are persistent and complex pollutants to remedy in nature, therefore, it is necessary to know the elements that cause pollution to understand their mechanisms of action. In order to identify the main chemical, environmental, toxicological and regulatory characteristics that are related to the issue of heavy metal contamination in Ecuador, understanding its impact on the environment and its importance in development. This review systematizes information establishing as analysis factors: heavy metals, air quality, soil quality, water quality; the generation of polluting agents (mining, refinery, industry), the affectation of the biotic environment (flora, fauna and ecosystem) and, finally, the toxicology by type of heavy metal. The main findings show that mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic and zinc are the main heavy metals that contaminate water; In the case of soil, the greatest contamination was caused by mercury, cadmium and lead and, finally, the greatest contamination in the air was by lead. The biggest polluting agent is industrial activity, followed by agro-industry and the oil refinery as polluting agents. Mercury, arsenic and lead are the heavy metals with the greatest presence and whose consequences are significantly serious, which requires greater attention for all activities that use or generate this type of pollutant.